Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to marking devices. More particularly the present invention relates to a fastener having a receiving area for a marker that can extend through snow, or other coverings, to identify what is beneath or near an object or obstruction.
Description of Related Art
During heavy snow falls, it is common for structural elements such as pipes, housings, access panels, wiring, components, skylights, and the like to be buried. This burying can be caused by falling leaves, soil, snow, other debris, and the like. When buried, these items may become damaged, often substantially if they cannot be seen. This damage may come from, for example, snow removal devices like shovels, blowers, or plows, or by other tools such as rakes, and the like. Contractors and workers making repairs to roofs or fixtures or shoveling snow can trip on these obstructions or even fall to their death through skylights that can be covered with snow. Punctured gas pipes are a major safety and fire hazard. In other applications, such as metal roofs, translucent skylights are made flush with the roof and become very difficult to be seen even when not covered. Workers frequently step into and fall through such translucent skylights when working on roofs.
Therefore, what is needed is a device that may be quickly and easily attached to these potentially buryable or difficult to see structural elements to extend through any burying material to mark that the structural elements are below or to add visibility to structural elements that are not easily seen.